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Travelling abroad is the perfect way to increase your career prospects and help your future self out a little… This sounds like a great excuse for a holiday though, doesn’t it?

Maybe you are just looking for an excuse to head on a holiday, or maybe you’re genuinely interested in enhancing your career prospects and landing that dream job.

Either way, you’ll be surprised at just how beneficial travel can be to your Career and lets be honest, who doesn’t want to become more employable? You could end up getting a hefty pay rise or a great promotion, amongst countless other things. If this hasn’t been convincing enough already and you need a little more information before believing me, here’s a few ways that travel can help improve your career prospects.

1. You’ll Learn How To Deal With Stress

There’s no doubt about it, travel and stress come hand in hand. Experiencing stress whilst travelling is something that is going to happen, regardless of how hard you try to avoid it. It’s not all bad though, this stress that you experience can teach you a lot and through time, without even realising, you will become better at dealing with stress.

When out in the world of work, stress can be a daily occurrence for many people and it’s more rare than you may think for employers to find staff who can deal with stress in a professional manner.

2. The Power Of Networking

Yup, it’s true what people say – sometimes it’s not about what you know, but instead about who you know. Networking can be a tough nut to crack, especially if you’ve became comfortable in your job over the years and haven’t yet been introduced to the magical world of networking.

Travelling abroad pushes you out of that comfort zone, you’ll meet lots of new people, from all walks of life. Showing an interest in these people and making the effort to stay in contact with them could actually secure you a promotion or indeed, a brand new role. Word of mouth is a powerful thing, remember that!

3. You Could Learn A New Language

If you take the time to learn a new language when abroad, oh boy, employers will be fighting over you! Well, not literally, but it could definitely make a huge difference when looking for a new job.

You don’t have to be fluent in the language, of course the more you know a language, the more favourable you could be to certain employers. Even knowing only the basics is a great way to show employers that you are a dedicated, hard-working and quick learner, traits that make you much more employable.

4. You Will Become More Open Minded

Being an open minded individual can be extremely advantageous when looking for a new job role. Not many people carry this trait and it can be hard to stick to. Things like meeting new people and experiencing new cultures whilst travelling open your mind and make you more accepting of things in life. When in a job, it’s important that you are open-minded, that you can see more than one way of doing things, more than one side to the story and so on.

5. You Will Find Out What’s Right For You

There’s nothing worse than being in a job that just isn’t well suited to you. It’s extremely demotivating and the longer you stick it out, the more worthless you begin to feel. At some point our lives, we’ve all been asked what type of job we think is right for ourselves. This is when we realise that we don’t actually know what job role we should be in.

Travelling can help with this, you’ll have plenty of free time to discover what is and isn’t for you in life. You could experience something new, that you actually have a passion for and would like to pursue a career in. It’s a learning curve, that should hopefully lead you down the right path in finding your ideal role.

Transport your luggage easily and affordably this Christmas!

Are you travelling home for Christmas this year? Or perhaps travelling abroad in search of some winter sun? Uni Baggage provides an easy, reliable and low-cost way for you to transport your heavy bags, suitcases and personal belongings over the festive period.

Are you new to luggage shipping? Find out exactly what our service entails here.

Read on to find out absolutely everything you need to know about booking with Uni Baggage over the festive season. Please be sure to take note of our recommended Christmas send by dates, as well as all of our holiday office closure information.

Uni Baggage Christmas Send By Dates

Below you can find our recommended send by dates for the busy December period. If you would like your luggage to arrive in time for Christmas, we recommend sending on or before the following dates listed. You may still book a collection after the listed dates, however, we then cannot guarantee that your item will arrive in time before Christmas. Please note that all Uni Baggage services are estimated and can be subject to occasional delays.

Please note that we recommend allowing 1 extra day than normal for delivery during December due to extremely high volumes of shipments, and also to consider any adverse weather conditions. Deliveries will take place until 21st of December.

UK Shipments (incl. Northern Ireland)

Recommend sending on or before 18th December for all 48-hour services.

Recommend sending on or before 19th December for all 24-hour services.

We highly recommend booking 2-3 days before your collection date.

International Shipments

Recommend sending on or before 13th December for Economy services within Europe.

Recommend sending on or before 17th December for Express services worldwide.*

* Please bear in mind there may be delays in customs if applicable.

Uni Baggage Christmas Closure Dates

Below you can find the Uni Baggage office opening hours during the holiday period. You can also see on which days collections and deliveries will take place in December.

Date

Open/Closed?

Collection/Delivery?

21/12/2018

Open

Deliveries Only

22/12/2018

Closed

No

23/12/2018

Closed

No

24/12/2018

Closed

No

25/12/2018

Closed

No

26/12/2018

Closed

No

27/12/2018

Open

Collections and Deliveries

28/12/2018

Open

Collections and Deliveries

29/12/2018

Closed

No

30/12/2018

Closed

No

31/12/2018

Closed

No

01/01/2019

Closed

No

IMPORTANT NOTE: You can place a booking on our website anytime. Our online booking system is available 24/7. So, if you need to send luggage overseas again in time for the new year, for example, you can make a booking any time.

Uni Baggage Contact Information

If you happen to have any questions, you can contact our office directly from 9am-10pm on any of the days we are open. However, if you need to get in touch regarding your shipment when our offices are closed, please see the courier contact information below.

UK Shipments

Parcelforce is used for our luggage deliveries within the UK (incl. Northern Ireland) for both Express 48 and Express 24 services. You can find their contact information here.

International Shipments

DHL is used for shipments outside of the UK, and for Express 24 shipments from Northern Ireland to mainland UK. You can find their contact information here.

Still Not Sure?

If you’re still not sure which of our couriers your shipment is booked with, simply log into ‘My Orders’ on your Uni Baggage account and click on the green collection and delivery times. When you click this, a pop-up notification will show your specific courier details.

How To Book With Uni Baggage This Christmas

Booking with Uni Baggage over the holiday season is easy. Simply start by getting a quote straight from our homepage. Our easy to use online booking system is available 24/7 and takes just a few short moments to complete. We give you the freedom to choose a collection date that suits you, so you can arrange everything around your festive travel plans. Once you’ve booked, we’ll send you some shipping labels to print and attach to your items. After that, we’ll take care of the rest. That’s one less thing to worry about!

Nothing quite dampens the excitement of jetting off on holiday like arriving at the airport and having to cough up excess baggage fees at the check-in desk. It’s a frustrating experience like no other, as if travelling isn’t stressful enough in and of itself. However, the good news is that as long as you take a few extra precautions before setting off on your trip, you can easily avoid those pesky excess charges, which can substantially increase the overall cost of your holiday. In this post, we’re talking through how to do it.

1. Read your airline’s baggage policy thoroughly.

It really goes without saying, but if you want to avoid paying out for excess baggage at all costs, it is imperative that you read your airline’s baggage policy thoroughly. Each and every airline has a different policy, so don’t make the mistake of assuming all are the same if you’re booking with an airline for the first time. Your baggage allowance is typically determined by a number of factors, including your flight destination and class of service. That said, most commercial airlines charge excess weight per kilo at the airport.

2. Pack smarter.

Sometimes, packing light just isn’t an option. You might be off on a two week holiday, or you might even be travelling for an extended period of time. If that’s the case, it’s only natural to want to bring as many pieces of clothing and personal belongings with you as possible. What you can do, however, is pack smarter. Invest in a lightweight suitcase, which can help you to spare a few extra kilos for your luggage, instead of the heavy frame of your suitcase. Wear your bulkier clothing when travelling to make room for the essentials. And of course, don’t forget to consider what might be better to buy when you actually arrive, instead of wasting precious kilos to carry it with you on your flight.

3. Pay for additional baggage weight online.

Due to the fact that the majority of commercial airlines charge any excess baggage per kilo at the airport, it therefore doesn’t take much for costs to quickly mount up, especially when these charges average at around £10-£12 per kilo. If you’re concerned that your baggage might exceed the allowed limit, pay for additional luggage weight online in advance of your trip. Sure, it’s an extra cost, but it’s always much cheaper to pay for it online than at the airport. This will help you to sail through check-in and avoid the stress.

4. Ship your luggage with Uni Baggage.

Uni Baggage provides an affordable, welcomed alternative to transporting luggage to your overseas destination. You won’t have to worry about carrying it with you on your flight, therefore no unexpected excess baggage charges. Whether you’re travelling for leisure, for work, or otherwise, you can effortlessly ship your luggage ahead and it can meet you upon arrival at your accommodation. Not only will our service help you to save your pennies, but it will also allow you to travel without luggage weighing you down.

Travelling can be stressful, even at the best of times. From the planning, to the booking, to the packing, to the travel itself, through it all, even the most frequent of travellers among us aren’t even immune to bouts of travel stress. But what if we told you that we know a few handy travel hacks that could make your next trip a little less turbulent?

1. Travel luggage-free.

Carrying heavy bags and suitcases with you on a long-haul journey can be exhausting in and of itself. There’s the waiting in line at the check-in desk, and the waiting around for your bags at the luggage carousels… but what if you could avoid all of that, and travel completely luggage-free, but still have all of your stuff waiting for you upon arrival at your destination? Uni Baggage can help you. We provide a convenient service for you to send your luggage ahead to your destination, whether you’re travelling for leisure or for work. No more worrying about carrying heavy bags or unexpected excess baggage fees.

2. Travel off-peak and off-season.

If you’re travelling on a budget, it’s important to keep in mind that the time of year will always have an effect on the price of your trip. For example, summer excursions to warmer countries can be rather costly, instead, travelling in early spring or even during the winter could help you to make significant savings on airfare. Even the day of the week or flight time can make a huge difference in the overall cost of your getaway. Take your time and compare costs of flying on a weekday versus the weekend, as you could really save.

3. Save your pennies by flying indirectly.

Did you know? Flying indirectly with a short stopover can actually help you to save large sums of money on your flights and, oftentimes, it doesn’t even add much more to your overall journey time. If you’re happy to take a connecting flight to save your pennies, you’ll have more money to fork out for perhaps a more luxurious hotel at your destination, or the money you save could simply go towards your spending money.

4. Pack smarter.

If you hope to avoid having to cough up for excess baggage fees at the airport check-in desk, all you have to do is pack smarter. And no, we don’t mean pack lighter. You can still pack all of the personal belongings you hope to bring with you, without making any sacrifices. Swap your heavy suitcase for a lightweight one, leaving more precious kilos for your belongings. As well, roll your clothes instead of folding to maximise luggage space.

5. Book as early as possible.

We all know that the earlier you book a trip, the more you’ll save. It’s certainly no secret. But have you ever considered how much better you’ll feel if you book as early as possible? The feeling of having everything booked before a trip takes a huge weight off your shoulders, without the nagging feeling of still needing to book a hotel or transfers.

6. Combat jet lag before it even happens.

If you’re travelling long-haul, one thing you need to take into consideration is jet lag. Failing to make the necessary preparations for your inevitable bout of jet lag can really set the tone for the rest of your trip. When you arrive you’ll be tired, groggy and disorientated, and it could last from just a few hours to a few days. With that in mind, try to combat it before it even happens. In the 24 hours before and after your flight, get a good amount of sleep during reasonable hours. As well, be sure to drink enough water!

Sticking to a budget can be pretty challenging. You might be saving for something super important or simply, can’t afford to splash all of your cash right now. Regardless of the reasoning behind why you want or need to save, there can be a lot of temptation to book a getaway trip. You might feel like you shouldn’t do it, but constantly trying to tighten those purse strings in attempt to save all of your pennies can be stressful and sometimes you just need a break from it.

Everyone needs a trip away every now and then, don’t feel guilty about it. There’s a number of ways you can plan a last-minute getaway on a budget and you’ll be surprised when you realise just how much you can save.

1. Be Open Minded

You’re heading on a last-minute getaway and you’re wanting to stick to a budget, so you don’t really have the time or the money to be super picky with things like the location you’ll be heading to, the accommodation you’ll be staying in or the airline you will be using.

Do keep an open mind when planning your getaway. Of course there’s a chance that you could end up with an amazing last-minute deal in a prime location with 5 star accommodation, but there’s also the possibility that you’ll be left with very poor choice when it comes to these things. It’s likely that flights to the most popular destinations will be fully booked (if you’re booking last minute), meaning you might not get what you want.

2. Use Online Comparison Sites

Thanks to the wonderful web, you can book almost all of your getaway in just a few simple clicks. Using price comparison websites, you can see the best deals available all in one place. There’s a range of websites that offer you last minute deals, allowing you to save a lot of money. These deals aren’t only for accommodation, they’re for flights too – the complete package. Using an online comparison site is super handy as you don’t have to waste time shopping around, they do all of the research for you and return a range of deals within your budget.

If you’re worrying about the type of airlines/hotels that use online deals or comparison sites and have the mindset that they’re not good enough if they’re on offer, then think again. Companies get business through comparison sites as they offer their accommodation/flights on the dates they know they won’t be fully booked. So instead of them having an empty room in a hotel or a free seat on a plane, they can pop it on a deals website to make some money, which is better than making no money at all and having an empty room or seat.

3. Ship Your Luggage

Another way of sticking to your budget is by using a luggage shipping company, just like Uni Baggage! Avoid paying expensive baggage fees on your airline and ship your personal effects with a luggage shipping company instead. It’s the cost-effective way of bringing your belongings with you on your getaway. Luggage shipping companies are becoming more and more popular with those heading on a getaway, as the convenience of the services offered is exactly what people need. All you have to do is book online, print some labels, attach them to your suitcases/boxes and we’ll take care of the rest! Your items will be collected by a driver and delivered directly to your chosen destination, it’s all pretty easy.

4. Consider The Location Of Accommodation and Offerings

Choosing accommodation is pretty easy and it’s no longer a huge risk, thanks to many online sites showing us photos of the accommodation and previous visitors leaving honest reviews, potential visitors are able to create a good picture of what the accommodation will actually be like.

However, if you’re on a budget, your choice of accommodation might be limited. You’ll need to do a little bit of planning around this though, you could book cheap accommodation that’s super affordable but it might be good distance from the sights you want to see which means you could be paying a lot of money on transport.

Also consider what the accommodation has to offer you, other than the location. Will you be getting food with your stay or will you have to pay for eating out, which sounds like the easy option, but can cost a pretty penny. A good choice for those on a budget is to rent their own location for the duration of their time there, preferably with a kitchen where you can cook your own meals and eat in. This sounds like the more expensive option, but if you shop around you can find some great places that are pretty cheap and will save you money in the long run.

The whole point of going to university is to get a degree.

Obviously!

But, as anyone who has ever been to university will tell you, the experience is educational in more ways than one.

University isn’t just about learning. It’s an enriching period in life; which grants you your first true taste of independence and freedom, as well as the opportunity to broaden your horizons and meet a ton of awesome new people.

And *we think* this is especially true for students who choose to go to university away from home. Here’s why…

1. First up. No one will know all the embarrassing crap you did in the past, so you can basically reinvent yourself into this amazing, well rounded, intelligent and interesting person.

2. You’re forced to learn to do things. Like cook an actual edible meal and wash your clothes without dying everything pink. Both of these things will probably take a few attempts to get right.

3. Your parents will be proud of your independence and all your new achievements. Like being able to boil an egg without Googling how to do it.

4. You can come home drunk, vomit in the middle of the floor and no one will shout at you. The only person who can be disappointed in you is yourself.

5. You get to do your own food shopping and buy whatever you want, without your mum saying either a) “that’s unhealthy!” or b) “that’s too expensive.”

6. You can eat Coco Pops for your dinner for a week straight and not have to listen to your parents’ disapproving comments regarding your immature life choices.

7. You can tell your parents the reason you’re poor is due to the fact that you’ve spent all your money on text books and transport and they will never know that you’ve actually bought an entire new wardrobe…

Until you come home for Christmas and you have to lie and say your brand new Topshop coat was a tenner from Primark.

8. If you’re moving to another country, people will think you’re all strange and exotic.

However they will make you say certain words in your accent because it sounds funny. This is especially true for Northern Irish students.

9. You only really get one chance to live in university halls. And it will be one of the most memorable years of your life.

10. You appreciate home more. And the little things, like you know, central heating and a clean kitchen full of edible food.

Do not underestimate how much you will appreciate eating meals that you did not have to pay for or cook for yourself.

That’s true happiness. Like, for real.

11. You get to explore a whole new town or city and then brag about how wise and worldly you are when you go home for the holidays.

12. You meet different kinds of people. Some you’ll love and some will make you lose faith in humanity. But in both cases, they will help you form your own opinions and develop your people skills.

13. If you don’t move away, you’ll always have that feeling of ‘what if’.

14. You find out how strong your friendships from home are. And your mates can come to visit.

15. You will be forced to spend time on your own, which is essential for personal development.

16. Your parents don’t have to know every stupid thing you do, how late you’re staying out or who you’re spending time with.

17. You can walk around your room in your underwear or as naked as the day you were born. Unless you have cleaners who don’t make a habit of knocking.

18. When you start paying rent, and doing your own food shopping, filling out forms and booking your appointments you realise that you have transformed into a competent adult who can keep yourself ALIVE! Hoorah for that.

How the heck do you pack for going to Uni?

Like seriously, what in the name of Beyonce, are you meant to bring with you to survive an entire year in a completely new place?

It’s an impossible task; to put all your life’s belongings in a few suitcases because, as anyone who has ever packed before will know, you ALWAYS forget something.

So as we’re the experts at this sort of thing (we ship luggage for 25,000+ students), we’re going to give you a hand. We’ve put a nifty little list together of important things you need to bring to uni, to ensure that you don’t leave anything behind.

If you missed the grades to get on the university course you wanted or don’t have any offers – DON’T PANIC!!

Clearing is an ideal way for you to find a place on another university course or even another university. Every year, tens of thousands of students attend uni after finding alternative courses through Clearing.

Sometimes your university journey doesn’t happen exactly the way you planned. Although it might be initially disappointing to not achieve the grades you hoped for, Clearing offers a different route and for many, their unexpected journey leads them somewhere more exciting and enjoyable.

In this guide we will explain exactly what Clearing is, how it works and how to apply.

What is Clearing?

Clearing is a way for universities to fill any places they still have on their courses. It’s also a way for students who didn’t get the necessary grades, to find a place on another course.

Who is eligible for Clearing?

Clearing is open from July 5th to October 23rd. You can use clearing if:

you’re applying after 30th June

you didn’t receive any offers (or none you wanted to accept)

you didn’t meet the conditions of your offers

How do I know if I’m in Clearing?

You will know if you’re in Clearing as it will be displayed on your UCAS Track. Your status will say ‘You are in Clearing’ or ‘Clearing has started’.

You’ll also find your Clearing number there. You’ll need to provide this number when you are talking to universities and discussing your options. If you can’t see anything on your UCAS Track, it could just take the system some time to update the information. If you’re unsure, contact UCAS.

If you originally only applied for one course for the reduced fee of £13, you’ll have to pay an additional £11 to apply through Clearing.

When does Clearing happen?

Clearing officially opens July 5th and remains open until October 23rd. If you have received your exam results and have no offers, you can apply through Clearing from July. In the majority of cases, Clearing is used after Results Day by students who did not get the grades they needed.

Scottish applicants can use Clearing from 9th August until 6pm on 10th August. After this and until A Level results day, you will have to phone UCAS to add a Clearing choice.

A-level applicants will be able to add a Clearing choice on UCAS Track from 5pm on 16th August. If you have your exam results and know that you’re in Clearing you can contact universities in advance to get invitations to add a university/course as a Clearing choice when the option appears on UCAS Track.

The majority of Clearing places are allocated during the week after A-Level Results Day but some places will be available right up until September.

Where to find Clearing lists?

Most universities will publish their list of Clearing vacancies on their own websites. This is the best and most accurate place to search for available places.

The UCAS website features electronic clearing lists which are updated frequently.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper also publishes a full list of Clearing places on the Monday before results day. But as these places are filled quickly, it’s best to use the up-to-date Clearing Search Tool on their website.

Universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, UCL and LSE typically do not offer Clearing lists as they are more competitive.

NOTE: Clearing is updated regularly. So if you don’t see a course you want, you can try again later or call universities directly.

How to apply for courses through Clearing

Once you’re sure that you’re in Clearing and you have your Clearing number to hand, you can begin searching for available courses.

You do not have to choose a place at the university you planned to attend and you do not have to select the same subject you were originally interested in. For many, Clearing gives students the opportunity to reassess their decisions and try something new.

Once you have found a course, you must call the university on their Clearing line and provide them with your Clearing number and Personal ID, as detailed in UCAS Track.

Talk to them about the course you’re interested in and find out if they are willing to accept you. You may be put on a reserve list or you may be turned down.

If you’re certain about a course and they are willing to accept you, ask for written confirmation of their offer. If you want to browse further options, confirm their offer verbally and informally.

Once you have been offered a place by a university, you can add a Clearing choice in UCAS Track. Fill in the course details by the date the university/college gave you on the phone. Most offers will only be valid for a set period of 12, 24 or 48 hours.

This counts as you officially accepting the offer, so if they confirm, it will show as an acceptance on the choices page of Track. You will then be sent out an AS12 email and confirmation letter.

NOTES:

You can only add one Clearing choice at a time, but if the university/college doesn’t confirm your place, you’ll be able to add another.

When talking to universities on the phone, always take note of everything that was said and take the name of the person you were speaking to.

You can only add a Clearing choice in UCAS Track if the university has offered it to you.

What is Adjustment?

If you’ve been researching Clearing, you may have also come across part of the UCAS Application process called Adjustment.

Clearing and Adjustment are very different. Clearing is for students who did not achieve the necessary grades and did not get an university offers.

Adjustment is for students who exceeded their necessary grades and want to browse better options elsewhere.

Students using Adjustment have added security, as they can keep their Firm offer as they look through other opportunities.

Adjustment options are often published on the university websites and Clearing positions are also open to students in Adjustment.

Hopefully this guide helps to shed some light on UCAS Clearing. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with UCAS or the universities you have applied to. Best of luck from all of us at Uni Baggage! We hope you get the results you want!

So you didn’t get a perfect set of A Level results…

It feels a bit crappy, doesn’t it? Especially when all the A* smug brainy face people are out celebrating and posting a 500 word long Facebook status that reads a god damn Oscar speech.

We’re not going to deny that getting lower grades than you expected sucks. It’s disappointing to feel like you didn’t achieve a goal that you worked hard for.

But, at the same time we’re not going to let you wallow in your own self pity or drink the disappointment away. It’s not the end of the world.

Now, I know, I know, I know you’ve probably heard that a thousand times today and it doesn’t make you feel any better at all. But seriously, hear us out; missing out on the results you wanted, does not mean you’re condemned to fail everything and live under a bridge for the rest of your life.

You might not be on the path you expected, but you could be on a better one. You may not be getting to do the university degree wanted, but you could have dodged a mighty bullet. Remember that there are different routes to the same destination. So even if you have your heart set on a specific career, this just means you have to find another way to get there. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

And if that ‘reach for the stars, you can do anything’ speech didn’t work, you don’t have to take our word for it. Take a look below at this pretty impressive list of rich and successful people who got rubbish A Level results. These guys might just convince you that everything is going to be ay-ok, if you refuse to let this little blip define you.

1. Carey Mulligan

Got a C, an E and a D in his A Levels. He’s probably still crying about it.

3. Prince Harry

Got a D in Georgraphy, which hugely impacted how his life turned out.

4. Lorraine Candy

The editor of Elle magazine dropped out of school at 16 to get a job at her local paper and begin her journalistic career. What a mistake that was.

5. Benedict Cumberbatch

Once said: “I did sort of blow my GCSEs out of the water. I couldn’t believe it and neither could my teachers. And then there was a lot of pressure on me to achieve an Oxbridge level of brilliance at A-levels. But then adolescence came late and I discovered girls, pot and all sorts of other things, so I got a bit lazy. That stagnated my growth a bit as far as being academic.”

6. Clare Balding

Got poor grades in History and Latin, so took two years out and then went to Cambridge.

9. Mark Kermode

10. David Milliband

Despite getting a D in Physics, David Milliband went on to have a very successful brother – sorry, I mean political career…

11. Chris Moyles

On A Level results day 2014, he tweeted: “Here’s the deal, bad results, you can try again. Really bad results you can become a DJ.”

12. Ben Fogle

Last year, he tweeted: “For those getting their A Level results today. I got an N in my economics. Don’t despair. It’s what you do with your results that matter.”

13. Russell Brand

Despite having a wizard-like vocabulary and penchant for words, Brand doesn’t have a university degree or even an A Level to his name. However, ironically, he has been included as a point of study in the A Level English Syllabus.

14. Tinie Tempah

Mr Tempah didn’t go to uni and started selling double glazing instead. I think he’s doing a different job now though.

15. Declan Curry

The BBC journalist needed an A and two Bs to get into university but got a ‘tremendous shock’ as he put it, when he received his results. Despite appealing the grades, he still didn’t get accepted and decided to resit sixth year and try again.

16. Sarah Millican

“To A level students getting their results today: much luck to you. But if you don’t get what you need, it isn’t the end of the world: You can always resit. Yes, good exam results are useful but not the be all and end all. (I got 2 Ds and an E) Take care.Hugs and love.”

17. Richard Branson

This high flying gazillionaire doesn’t even have a qualification to his name. In fact, he dropped out of boarding school age 16. He worked his way to the top and has some pretty solid advice for today’s youths. He says: “Young people need empowerment and encouragement, not sleepless nights worrying about hitting their exam targets. They need to learn to take risks and not to be afraid of failure. Failure is part of life, especially in business. The key is to learn from it.” Preach.

18. Simon Cowell

People always tell you that you need English, Maths and Science GCSEs to do anything in life. Simon Cowell left school with just three O Levels and we think he’ll get by alright.

19. Guy Ritchie

Guy got expelled from school age 15 and without any qualifications, he took a series of low-level jobs to tide him over. He then went on to become one of the most successful ex husbands of Madonna.

20. Dr Mark Lythgoe

Dr Lythgoe’s parents actually CRIED when he received his A Level results – three Fs and an E in physics. Nevertheless, Mark worked his arse off and is now one of world’s leading neurophysiologists. (Doesn’t that sound fancy?) He once said: “Over the years my sense of failure was my closest friend. I never doubted my abilities but, at moments of darkness when I’ve struggled academically, it’s the thing that’s got me up in the morning. When I gained my PhD at the age of 37, it was one of the happiest days of my life.”

21. Alan Sugar

Proof that only having one GCSE can not stop you from become stinking rich and famous.

If you’re preparing for university, and your offers are conditional on results, A-Level Results Day can be a pretty intense one. The time has come for you to find out if your exam results are high enough for the university or college to confirm your place. Depending on how things go, the day will involve a range of mixed emotions, and you may have a few things to organise and a few important decisions to make along the way.

It can be daunting for any student, and understandably so.

As they say, it pays to be prepared. To shed some light, we’ve put together this handy guide complete with what you should know before and after you receive your results.

Before You Get Your Results

If you’re getting your results online, make sure you have your UCAS Track sign in details ready so there’s no panic when you need to login. Results are available from 8am. You will need your UCAS number, your Track username and password.

Make sure you are available to contact UCAS if necessary as they can not speak to anyone else (eg a parent) on your behalf.

You should also have your UCAS letter with your UCAS number and offer on it, alongside your conditional offer grades. You will need contact details for both your firm an insurance offers just in case.

If you think you may have to go through Clearing, nip to the shop and pick up a copy of the Telegraph newspaper as it publishes the full list of Clearing places and is easier to read than the UCAS website.

What to do if you get your firm offer?

If you get the grades for your firm offer, the only thing you need to do is celebrate! Don’t call your university – leave the lines free for students who need to get in touch.

UCAS will then send you your AS12 letter in the post and you should receive it a few days later. This letter confirms your place at university and it’s important that you read through this letter thoroughly and keep it in a safe place as you may need it to open a student bank account and for registration during Freshers’ Week. There may be a slip at the bottom of the form that you have to complete and send back to your university.

If you’ve got the grades you need and your status has not updated on UCAS Track, just be patient as this can sometimes take a while. However, if there is no change after a few days, contact your university to check that everything is ok.

What to do if your grades are higher than required by your firm offer?

If your grades are better than expected and higher than required for your firm offer, you have the chance to enter what UCAS calls ‘Adjustment’.

This gives you the opportunity to browse places on courses at other universities with higher entry requirements. If you wish to do this, you need to register for Adjustment through UCAS Track.

You have five days from when your Conditional Firm becomes an Unconditional Firm to negotiate another offer through Adjustment. Regardless of when this happens, this time period can not be extended past 31st August.

UCAS does not publish a list of all the places available through adjustment – you will have to contact universities directly and explain that you are interested in Adjustment places, not clearing.

If you don’t find anything in Adjustment, your original firm offer will still be held for you.

What to do if you miss your firm offer?

If you miss out on your firm choice, don’t panic as there’s still a chance that the university may accept you. Before doing anything, check your UCAS Track. If your offer says ‘unconditional’ then go and celebrate! If your offer is pending, then contact the university to find out if they have accepted you.

If your offer has been rejected then unfortunately there is nothing you can do. Don’t call your university to beg with them to let you in – you’ll be wasting your time.

The only time you should do this is if you have missed your offer by just a couple of marks, or if there are special circumstances that you think the university should consider.

If you miss out on your firm offer, don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world and you’ll likely still get a place at university one way or another.

What to do if you get your insurance offer?

Again, like if you meet your firm offer, you don’t need to do anything but wait for your AS12 letter to arrive in the post.

Once you have your AS12 letter, you will need to change your details with Student Finance and sort out accommodation at your new university.

What to do if you miss your insurance offer?

If you miss your insurance offer, again don’t panic – check your UCAS Track as the university may still accept you with lower grades. If your status is pending, then call the university to find out their decision.

If your offer is rejected then don’t be too hard on yourself. It can be extremely difficult to accept that things aren’t going to plan – especially when it seems like everyone else is celebrating. But remember, there are other options.

You can either; go through Clearing to find another course, retake your A Levels and apply again next year, or forget about university and take another path entirely.

It’s not the end of the world, despite how much it seems that way.

What to do if you’ve missed your firm and insurance offers but the university offers you a place on another course?

If this happens, it will show up as UCC or unconditional changed course, on your UCAS Track, alongside your new course code. You will have five days to decide whether or not you want to accept this offer. You’ll then be sent an AS12C letter explaining your options.

If you choose to decline, you can either choose your insurance offer (if applicable), or go through Clearing.

What to do if you want to defer your offer?

If you would like to defer your offer you need to contact your university to let them know. You will usually be able to do this right up until your course start date.

Most universities will be find with this. If not, you have have to withdraw from UCAS and reapply next year.

What to do if you’ve decided not to go to university?

Similarly, if you do not wish to attend university at all, you will need to contact your university and let them know or fill in the appropriate section of your AS12 form and send it to your university, if applicable.

What to do if you don’t have an offer?

If you miss out on both your firm and insurance choices and do not have an offer, you will be automatically entered into Clearing and can browse the available course places there.

You do not have to apply for any offers through Clearing if you do not want to.

You also have the option to withdraw from UCAS entirely. Take some time to think about this as once you have withdrawn, you’re only other option is to reapply next year. You can withdraw by using the Withdraw button in Track, or by contacting UCAS directly.

What to do if you want your grades remarked?

If you think there is a problem with your grades and would like them remarked, firstly consult your teacher as he/she will be able to give the best advise.

Be aware that there is a charge for remarking your exam and your grades could go either up or down. If your grade does change, however, you will be refunded the money.

Hopefully this guide helps to shed some light on A-Level Results Day. If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with UCAS or the universities you have applied to. Best of luck from all of us at Uni Baggage! We hope you get the results you want!